I can’t tell you how many players have reached out to me asking about adventures for the trade-based species of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants like Ferengis, Orions, and Pakleds. These obscure aliens have always existed on the edge of Star Trek fandom but have built up healthy followings.
The new Star Trek Adventures missions brief pack, “Trade Ledgers,” comprises ten mission briefs that focus on these three quirky species and allow gamemasters and players to create their own stories for these masters of intergalactic business. One of the most interesting things about writing these mission briefs was the fact that none of these species were Federation members during The Next Generation era. Sure, there was the occasional green-skinned crew member, and Nog—a moment of silence for Aron Eisenberg—was shown as the first Ferengi to be accepted into Starfleet. But, most of the time, Ferengis, Orions, and Pakleds were relegated to secondary characters without much depth (with the exception being Star Trek: Deep Space Nine).
I wanted to correct that.
My goal was that groups would play through these mission briefs and end up with a better understanding and respect of these species. All three have done pretty well without aligning with the Federation for a long time. Whether it is the greed-based workings of the Ferengi Alliance, the seemingly unethical dealings of the Orion Syndicate, or the deceptively brilliant strategies of Pakled Big Bosses, I wanted players to walk away with adventures that left them with a newfound respect for their galactic neighbors and maybe a couple laughs along the way.
But even more than focusing on these species, I wanted players to get a better understanding of what business is like between the Federation members and their neighbors. Even though money has become a thing in of the past for most Federation citizens by The Next Generation era, this was not the case with many other galactic entities. And some Federation citizens still wanted the almighty dollar in their pocket, as seen in the mission brief “S.S. Tranquil.”
For fans of Ferengis, I wrote “The Gemolun Run,” “Squirk’s Scheme,” and “Life’s Gamble.”
For Orion fans, I wrote “Bandits of Zanthica” and “The Funeral of Captain Mandolini,” which contains a possible Gorn encounter.
“Dead Men Close No Deals” is based on Rule of Acquisition #15 and gave me the chance to throw Ferengi and Orions into the mix together. I’m sure there are scores of untold stories about how these traders ran into conflicts running their stellar commercial empires. This was a chance to explore one such story.
For you Pakled fiends, I wrote “Dilithium Dirge” and “Daddy’s Little Girl.”
I threw in “Bedlam on Baham” as a first contact mission since opening up new trade relationships is within the purview of any Starfleet crew.
Though any of these adventures can be adapted to other eras or even to Klingon campaigns, exploring the commerce of the 24th century should be an enlightening, educative, and entertaining experience for even the most knowledgeable Star Trek fan.
Mission Briefs: Trade Ledgers is available for free download on Modiphius.net, Modiphius.US, and DrivethruRPG. Get your copy today and add them to your Star Trek Adventures campaign!
Thanks for reading this article, and thank you for your interest and support of Star Trek Adventures! Keep frequencies open for the release of additional mission brief packs and other products in the coming months. Live long and prosper!